New Year, New Blog, New Reading Challenge

It's a brand new year! 2015, in fact! Just look at that date. I remember thinking at the turn of the millennium that 2015 seemed like a lifetime away. And now here it is, and here I am, doing what most people do at the start of the new year. Starting a blog. Yay!

I could start this new blog by talking about myself or my profession or my hopes and dreams or some other boring thing that no one but me (and maybe my mother) cares about. I'm not going to do that. Instead, I'm going to talk about important things. Like books.

Every year I challenge myself to a read a certain number of books via  Goodreads. Last year, my goal was to read 85 books, and I got there by the skin of my teeth. This year, I've upped the ante by a whole book. 86 books might sound like a lot or barely a challenge, depending on who you are and what type of reader you are. And if you're a non-reader, what are you doing here anyway? I suggest you visit this post (mind the language), and then kindly go pick up a freakin' book.

This year, on top of reading 86 books, I have decided to make the challenge a bit more interesting by creating a mini-challenge to how and what types of books I read. It isn't enough that I read 86 books. They need to mean something. Because I'm that kind of book snob. So, here goes. My reading challenge for 2015:

2015 Reading Challenge

• Read at least 1 book about writing a month. That resolution about getting a book published by the end of the year isn't going to happen on its own.
• Read at least 1 book over 500 pages. Bonus points if it's over 1000 pages.
• Read at least 5 non-writing non-fiction books. 
• Read at least 2 books written before 1900, the older, the better.
• Read at least 10 books from my personal library. There's no point in being a book hoarder if you're not going to read any of the books you hoard. Staring longingly at them doesn't count.
• Write at least 1 thoughtful, analytical review a month. Preferably published on this blog.
• Read at least 3 physical books for every audiobook. 
• Do no let the July-December reading drought happen this year. DO NOT LET THE JULY to DECEMBER READING DROUGHT HAPPEN, DAMN YOU.

We'll see if any or all of this happens. What is your reading challenge this year?